Leaving
by Loisarah
Summary: What if Buffy hadn't spoken first at the end of Buffy vs. Dracula?


Title: Leaving (1/1) Author: Loisarah Rating: G Distribution: If you want it, ask. I'd be thrilled. Feedback: Again, I'd be thrilled. This is my first B/G fic, be somewhat nice. =) Disclaimer: Characters property of Fox and Mutant Enemy, used by a fan, for fans, and not for profit. Timeline: early season 5 Summary: AU of the last B/G scene in Buffy Vs. Dracula Author's Notes: Some dialogue is from the episode "Buffy Vs. Dracula" written by Marti Noxon.  
  
This may or may not be a series. posted a scene at a time.  
  
Spoilers: Season 5, Buffy Vs. Dracula  
  
This is for everyone who wrote such nice feedback for my Giles fic "Unprepared" Thank you so much!  
  
Giles sat at his desk, waiting for Buffy. Again. It was part of his routine, really. But not for much longer. No more waiting for her after patrol, or for research. Or the unlikely event that she'd stop by, just to visit. God knows that didn't happen often, he thought bitterly.  
  
A knock on the door interrupted his contemplation, and before he even had a chance to turn and ask who was there, Buffy opened the door and strode in.  
  
"You wanted to see me?" she asked, no hello, no how are you, just her question.  
  
Giles stood up from his chair and walked towards the counter to pick up a pot of tea. He followed behind her into the living room. "Yes, thanks for coming. C.can I offer you some tea?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, no thanks. Ooh, cookies," Buffy said, noticing the tray on the coffee table. She turned to Giles, slightly wary. "How come I rate little cookie treatment?"  
  
"Well, actually, I.I have something to tell you," Giles began, sitting down on the couch.  
  
Buffy sat down slowly. "Actually, I have something I'd like to talk to you about, too," she began in a quieter, less exuberant voice as she turned to face Giles.  
  
"Well, you go first, by all means," he replied, stalling.  
  
"No, go ahead."  
  
"No, I insist," he said, hating himself for delaying again.  
  
"No, Giles, you invited me over, and you've got the little cookie thing going, not to mention the stutter, which you haven't done in forever, so obviously what you wanted to say is important.and forgive me for that sentence." She smiled at him. "Just tell me, Giles."  
  
"All right, then." he paused. He had known this would be difficult, but this was worse than he thought, having to actually say the words. He took a breath to calm himself before he spoke. "I'm going back to England, Buffy."  
  
"Oh," she said, quietly, turning to face forward, and stare at the tray. "For a visit, right?"  
  
"No." Giles faced forward as well, picking up his cup of tea and holding it, staring down into the amber liquid. "I'm going home for good, Buffy."  
  
She didn't respond, and Giles turned to look at her, to see her reaction. He didn't expect to she her looking at him with so much anger in her eyes.  
  
She finally spoke. "You're leaving me?" she said, in much too calm of a voice. "You're leaving me?" she repeated, a little louder.  
  
Giles wasn't sure what reaction he expected from her, but this wasn't it. "I'm going home, Buffy. You don't need a watcher anymore."  
  
"The hell I don't!" She stood up, and began pacing.  
  
Giles wanted to get up, but made himself stay seated, still holding his cup of tea. "You don't. I'm proud of you, and. and you have your friends. Willow can research."  
  
"No, Giles. you don't understand. I'm scared." she started, speaking quickly, still angry. "I." she began again, to be interrupted.  
  
"Buffy, please, try to understand. you haven't come to me for help, or needed me for a very long time, and I. I need to go home," he finished, lamely.  
  
"That's it? You want to bail on me? Giles. I do need you. I came here to tell you that I wanted you to be my watcher again! There are so many things I don't understand, and I need your help!"  
  
"Buffy. I appreciate you saying that, and I understand you're scared, but that's part of growing up," he began, trying to play the part of the mentor, anything to steer the conversation in a new direction. He didn't want to let her change his mind. He couldn't.  
  
"This isn't just about growing up, Giles, listen to me! I need my watcher again. I'm not saying it to keep you here, that's really what I wanted to tell you!"  
  
"Buffy, please. I have to go." He said, desperate to stop her, to get this whole conversation over with. Before he said something he'd regret later.  
  
She stopped pacing for a moment to face him, hands on her hips. "Why? Why do you have to leave so urgently?"  
  
"Urgently?" It made him want to laugh. "This isn't a spur of the moment decision. You didn't need me last year. I've had plenty of time to think this through, Buffy." Now that he'd finally said it, it had all came out even more bitter than he intended.  
  
She walked back to the couch, to sit beside him. "Well, as to last year. I felt so welcome here after the 'you have to grow up, so I can get laid, Buffy' speech."  
  
"Buffy!"  
  
"No, Giles, you listen to me. I tried to grow up, like you said. So don't put all the blame on me for not coming over. And. and when I came over to bitch about Kathy, you drove me away then, too. I could have gone to Will, but I came to see you. I wanted to talk to you about my problems but I got a snotty comment about me not caring. I may be challenged in the telling someone I care department, but you're. you're Giles. I can't do this without you."  
  
He leaned back into the couch, hand coming up to take off his glasses and rub the bridge of his nose. "Buffy."  
  
"No, I let you go first! I'm not done! I understand that you want me to be independent, but this is different! This is not insecure Buffy in a new environment like the fight with Sunday was." she paused, leaning back into the couch as well. still facing Giles with her head on the back, looking up towards him. In a much smaller voice, she continued, "I really need you this time, Giles. I don't want you to go."  
  
"This isn't about you, Buffy, what you want," he finally spoke. "I have to go."  
  
"What is it about, Giles? What did I do to finally drive you away, too?" she asked, in a small voice, pulling her knees up to her chest and crossing her arms over them, looking like a small child.  
  
He turned to look at her, sitting in such a tight ball, looking at him like she was afraid of what he was going to say next. "Buffy. you didn't do anything," except fall in love with someone other than me, he wanted to say. "Buffy, I. I just. it's time for me to go home. England is my home."  
  
"Giles. please. I just know you're not telling me the truth. I need to know what your reason is."  
  
"Buffy." he got up and started pacing again, completely at a loss for words. It's because I love you kept running through his mind, but that's the last thing he wanted to say.  
  
"Giles," she said, standing up and blocking him against a wall, not letting him pace.  
I'm not going to say it. I can't. "I love you, Buffy." Dammit, I said it.  
  
He closed his eyes, not wanting to look at her. When she didn't speak, he finally broke. "I love you, and I can't stay here and watch you with. with. that undeserving, military minded pillock anymore."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Is that all you can say, Buffy?"  
  
"I don't know what to say. I thought. I thought I'd done something to piss you off and you wouldn't tell me. I wasn't expecting this, Giles. I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't. Buffy. I don't want you to be sorry. If Riley makes you happy, then that's what I want for you. I just. I can't sit by and watch you with him anymore. I can't watch you with someone who makes you want to be less than you are when I . when I love you and who you are so much."  
  
"What? Riley doesn't.he's not.how can you love me after all that I've put you through?"  
  
"Buffy."  
  
A knock on the door interrupted him, and they both looked towards the doorway to see Riley walk in, smiling towards Buffy.  
  
"Hey, Buffy. we're still going to the movies, right?"  
  
Giles looked at the floor, anywhere but at either Buffy or Riley.  
  
Buffy turned towards Riley, cursing his timing. She looked down at her watch. she was supposed to meet him in 15 minutes for the movie. "Riley. can I meet you there? I want to talk to Giles for a few more minutes." Not that I have any idea what I'm going to say, she thought.  
  
Giles looked up, although he didn't look Buffy in the eye. "No. you and Riley should go. see your movie. Have a good time. I'm just. going to start making my arrangements. I'll. I'll let you know when I'm leaving."  
  
"Leaving?" Riley asked, confused. He wasn't sure what he interrupted.  
  
"Giles is going back to England," Buffy said, turning from Giles to leave with Riley. If that was how he was going to be, then fine. This conversation was over. For now. Assuming she ever figured out what she wanted to say, and how to say it so that Giles would listen to her.  
  
"Oh," Riley responded. "I'm sorry to hear that."  
  
"Are you really?" Giles asked, watching as Buffy reached for Riley's hand and pulled him toward the door.  
  
Riley didn't respond, he just glanced between Buffy and Giles and walked with her to the door.  
  
"Bye, Giles." Buffy said as she shut the door behind her.  
  
The End 


End file.
